Knockdown table

ABSTRACT

A two-piece knockdown table formed of a corrugated paperboard base and a table top member supported thereon. The two pieces which form the table are adapted to be shipped in flat condition and to be erected at the point of use into a table which has substantial stability and strength. The table top member is formed with a depending flange which is adapted to engage the panels of the base member. The base member has tabs which engage slots formed in the depending flange member of the table top member to secure the base member to the top member.

United States Patent 1191 Notko et al.

1 1 Apr. 3, 1973 1541 KNOCKDOWN TABLE [75] inventors: Michael F. Notko, Riverside; Peter J. llylak, Downers Grove, both of Ill.

{73] Assignee: Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago,

Ill.

[22] Filed; Dec. 14, 1971 [2!] Appl. No.: 207,918

[52] U.S. Cl ..l08/l57, 108/150 [51] Int.Cl. ..A47b 13/02 {58] Field of Search ..108/1s0,157,159,1s3

[56] Y References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,620,175 I l/i971 Crane et al. ..l08/157 X 3,566,808 3/1971 Slate et al ..108/i57 Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell Attorney-Nathan N. Kratis et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A two-piece knockdown table formed of a corrugated paperboard base and atable top member supported thereon. The two pieces which form the table are adapted to be shipped in flat condition and to be erected at the point of use into'a tablewhich has substantial stability and strength. The table top member is.

formed with a depending flange which is adapted to engage the panels of the base member. The base member has tabs which engage slots formed in the depending flange member of the table top member to secure the base member to the top member.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing v KNOCKDOWN TABLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to knockdown tables wherein the base may be formed from die-cut and SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, two-piece table which can be easily erected at the point of use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a table which has substantial stability and strength by having a plurality of surfaces of the base member of the table engaging a plurality of surfaces of the top member of the table in its erected condition to prevent movement of the two members in relation to each other.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a knockdown table having in its erected condition a strengthened base which is self-leveling to the contour of the floor surface.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when the same is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an erected table in accordance with our invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the table of FIG. 1 illustrating the components of the table with tabs and flaps in their unfolded position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner in which the table top is engaged with and secured to the base portion of the table.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base portion of the table shown in partially collapsed condition.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the knockdown table in a shipping and storage carton with one of the top flaps of the carton in its open condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the numeral indicates generally a table top which may be circular or of any other suitable shape of a laminated or molded material, such as molded polystyrene. Table top 10 may have a rim 11, which may be integral with the table top 10, particularly if the top is of moldedconstruction. Top 10 may also have a top surface 12 which may have a wood grained or other patterned appearance for decorative purposes.

As shown in FIG. 2, top 10 has a flange 13 of polygonal formation depending from the under side of top 10. The flange 13 hasslots 14, each formed in a side portion thereof, the slots being adapted to receive tabs of the base member, as will be hereinafter described. The flange 13 is integral with top 10 and forms a rigid construction and is readily formed in onepiece construction by injection molding. This construction has improved strength over independently mounted flanges and serves to reinforce the top 10. In addition, top 10 may include reinforcing ribs 15 which preferably are located on the underside of the top interiorly of flange 13. To obtain increased strength, ribs 15 are integral with the underside of the top and are interconnected at or near the center of top 10 such as by a ring shaped flange 16. As shown, ribs 15 abut and are integral with ring shaped flange 16.

The base of the table, indicated generally by the numeral 17, is formed of a single corrugated cardboard blank folded into a plurality of panels 18. The blank can be folded upon itself to form a shaped structure and secured in that shape by means known to the art, such as tongue and groove arrangements formed on the edges of the blank which when folded abut each other.

As shown in the drawings, particularly FIG. 3, when the table is erected, top 10 rests upon the upper edges 19 of panels 18. Base 17 is preferably formed so that the upper portions of panels 18 engage flange 13 of top 10.

When a plurality of the upper portions of panels 18 engage a corresponding plurality of side portions of flange 13, lateral movement between top 10 and base 17 is prevented. Preferably, base portion 17 is constructed with a number of panels 18 sufficient to form a polygonal shape in transverse cross-section corresponding to the polygonal shape formed by flange 13 of top 10. The upper edges 19 of panels 18 will thus have the same polygonal formation in top plan view as the formation of the panels in transverse cross-section. Moreover, the size of the panels can be selected so that the upper portions of all of the panels 18 engage all of the side portions of flange 13 so as to provide maximum stability between top 10 and base 17.

A plurality of the panels 18 of base 17 have tabs 20 extending upwardly of the upper edge 19 of the panel. Tab 20 is hingedly connected to panel 18 inwardly of the upper edge 19 of the panel as shown in FIG. 2 by score line 21 shown in broken line. In addition, tab 20 may contain a foldable portion 22 hinged to the remainder of tab 20, for example, by a second score line 23, also shown as a broken line. Tab 20 is adapted to be inserted in slot 14 of flange 13 by folding portion 22 of tab 20 and inserting the leading edge 24 thereof into and through slot 14 as shown in detail in FIG. 3. In this manner, top 10 is secured to base 17, thus preventing vertical removal of top 10 from base 17.

Base 17 may be formed of panels 18 so as to have a shape in transverse section corresponding to the shape of flange 13 of top 10, as described above, and a size sufficient so that the outer surface of base 17 is engagable with the inner surface of flange 13. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3, base 17 may be formed of a slightly larger size than the outer surface of flange 13, so that the upper portion of base 17 surrounds the flange 13 with the inner surface of panels 18 engaging the outer surface of flange 13 upon erection of the table. In the latter construction tab 20 can be inserted through slot 14 of flange 13 as shown in FIG. 3. In the former arrangement, tab 20 is folded in the opposite direction and inserted through slot 14 in the opposite direction to the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 3.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, tabs 20 are formed in a plurality, but in less than all of, panels 18 to facilitate rapid, simplified erection of the table. However, all of the side portions of flange 13 contain slots 14 so that any one of panels 18 of base 17 can be aligned with any of the side portions of flange 13. This arrangement has been found to provide suitable stability and security between base 17 and top 10. However, if desired, all of the panels 18 may include tabs 26 insertable in the corresponding slots 14 of flange 13.

The panels 18 of base 17 include flaps 25 extending from the end of the panels opposite the upper edges 19 thereof. Flaps 25 are adapted to be foldable inwardly of base 17 to provide a flexible self-leveling bottom of the table. Self-leveling is intended to mean the ability to rest upon an irregular or uneven surface with a maximum of the bottom of panels 18 or their extensions, i.e., flaps 25, contacting that surface. In the present invention, the flaps 25 in their inwardly folded condition contact the supporting surface, usually a floor, irrespective of whether the bottom edge of panel 18 is able to contact that surface, providing stability and support to the table. The folding of flaps 25 is facilitated by score lines 26 and die cuts 27 along the bottom edges of panels 18 opposite upper edges 19 thereof.

Base 17 is adapted to be folded flat in the manner shown in FIG. 4. Compact folding is readily accomplished by reverse folding the junction of the end panels 18 of base 17, permitted by the tongue and groove arrangements (not shown) by which the ends are connected. Storage and shipping of the table in its knockdown condition, with the base 17 folded flat, is readily accomplished by inserting the folded base 17 and top into a corrugated cardboard carton 28 as shown in FIG. 5. Conveniently, carton 28 may have a main panel 29 approximately the width of the diameter 'of top 10 and a length slightly longer than the height of base 17 in its folded condition with tabs and flaps extended. Top 10 and base 17 may be retained within carton 28 by folding side flaps 30 over the upper and lower ends of base 17 and then folding cover flaps 31 of carton 28 over the side flaps 30 and affixing cover flaps 31 to each other and/or to side flaps 30 by suitable means, for example, staples or tape as known in the art. Flaps 31 preferably have a combined size substantially equal to the size of main panel 29 of carton 28 so that the knockdown table is enclosed within and protected by carton 28. Carton 28 can thus be used for shipping the table and for storing the table when its use in an erected position is not desired.

As shown in the drawings, the base 17 is desirably shaped in hexagonal formation in transverse cross-section. This configuration has been found to provide desirable strength and rigidity to the table particularly where depending flanges 13 of top 10 form a corresponding hexagonal formation and fits snugly within the inner surfaces of the top portions of panels 18 of base 17. In addition, by having top 10 formed in a circular shape the erected table presents a decorative appearance. Alternatively, base 17 can be formed with other polygonal shapes in cross-section, such as an octagon, a square and the like. Similarly, top 1Q can be circular as shown, or oval, or may be square, hex-- agonal, octagonal, and the like, as well as having a' shape having an odd number of sides, such as triangular, pentagonal, and the like.

Various changes coming within the spirit of our in vention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence we do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiment shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of our invention being limited only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A table comprising a base member formed of a blank of corrugated cardboard folded into a plurality of panels to assume a generally polygonal formation in transverse cross-section and a top member supported on the upper edges of said base member, said top member having a flange member depending from the underside thereof, said flange member being engageable with the upper portion of said base member.

2. The table of claim 1 including means for securing said base member to said top member comprising a plurality of slots formed in said flange member and tab members extending generally upwardly from the upper portion of a plurality of said panels of said base member, each tab member engageable with one of said slots formed in said flange member. I

3. The table of claim 1 wherein said flange member has side portions equal in number to the number of panels in said base member so that the said flange member has a formation corresponding to the polygonal formation of the folded base member in transverse section and is substantially coextensive therewith, each of said side portions of said flange member being substantially completely engageable with the upper portion of one of said panels.

4. The table of claim 3 wherein each of said side portions of said flange member has a slot formed therein, and said base member has tab members extending generally upwardly from the upper portion of a plurality of said panels thereof, each of said tab members being engageable with the slot formed in a side portion of said flange member.

5. The table of claim 4 wherein the outwardly facing surface of said flange member is engageable with the inwardly facing sides of the upper portions of said panels, said tab members being insertable in the slots formed in the side portions of said flange member en gageable with the panels supporting said tab members.

6. The table of claim 4 wherein the inwardly facing surface of said flange member is engageable with the outwardly facing sides of the upper portions of said panels, said tab members being insertable into the slots formed in the side portions of said flange member en,- gageable with the panels supporting said tab members.

7. The table as defined in claim 5 wherein the base member is formed of a blank so as to assume a hexagonal formation in transverse cross-section, said flange member having a hexagonal formation.

8. The table as defined in claim 7 wherein said tab members extend from the upper edges of non-adjacent panels of said base member, said tab members being hingedly connected to said non-adjacent panels inwardly of the upper edges of said panels, and said tabmembers being transversely scored for folding a portion of said tab members transversely to said panels to which said tab members are hingedly connected whereby said tab members are insertable into said slots formed in said flange member.

i at a: In 5 

1. A table comprising a base member formed of a blank of corrugated cardboard folded into a plurality of panels to assume a generally polygonal formation in transverse cross-section and a top member supported on the upper edges of said base member, said top member having a flange member depending from the underside thereof, said flange member being engageable with the upper portion of said base member.
 2. The table of claim 1 including means for securing said base member to said top member comprising a plurality of slots formed in said flange member and tab members extending generally upwardly from the upper portion of a plurality of said panels of said base member, each tab member engaGeable with one of said slots formed in said flange member.
 3. The table of claim 1 wherein said flange member has side portions equal in number to the number of panels in said base member so that the said flange member has a formation corresponding to the polygonal formation of the folded base member in transverse section and is substantially coextensive therewith, each of said side portions of said flange member being substantially completely engageable with the upper portion of one of said panels.
 4. The table of claim 3 wherein each of said side portions of said flange member has a slot formed therein, and said base member has tab members extending generally upwardly from the upper portion of a plurality of said panels thereof, each of said tab members being engageable with the slot formed in a side portion of said flange member.
 5. The table of claim 4 wherein the outwardly facing surface of said flange member is engageable with the inwardly facing sides of the upper portions of said panels, said tab members being insertable in the slots formed in the side portions of said flange member engageable with the panels supporting said tab members.
 6. The table of claim 4 wherein the inwardly facing surface of said flange member is engageable with the outwardly facing sides of the upper portions of said panels, said tab members being insertable into the slots formed in the side portions of said flange member engageable with the panels supporting said tab members.
 7. The table as defined in claim 5 wherein the base member is formed of a blank so as to assume a hexagonal formation in transverse cross-section, said flange member having a hexagonal formation.
 8. The table as defined in claim 7 wherein said tab members extend from the upper edges of non-adjacent panels of said base member, said tab members being hingedly connected to said non-adjacent panels inwardly of the upper edges of said panels, and said tab members being transversely scored for folding a portion of said tab members transversely to said panels to which said tab members are hingedly connected whereby said tab members are insertable into said slots formed in said flange member. 